Web feeding apparatus for carton blank forming mechanism



March 23, 1965 E V 3,174,670

WEB FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CARTON BLANK FORMING MECHANISM Filed May 6,1963 INVENTOR. per-E2 ZEEA/OI/ BY 1 ,3 2. Psi/Am United States Patent3,174,670 WEB FEEDING APPARATUS FOR CARTUN BLANK FORMENG MECHANISM PeterZernov, Wanwatosa, Wis, assignor to Zerand Corporation, Menomonee Falls,Wis, a corporation oi Wisconsin Filed May 6, 1963, Ser. No. 278,337 6(Ilaims. (Cl. 226117) This invention relates to carton forming mechanismfor handling a rapidly running web of paper or paper board, and moreparticularly relates to the feed rolls for such mechanism for preciselymetering the length of web that is fed to the mechanism for each cycle.In this type of mechanism it is extremely important to be able to feedan exact length of web for each cycle in order to insure proper cartonformation, or other function being performed on the web, and thesecycles occur many times per minute. In machines of this character, afree loop is formed in the web between the pair of metering rolls and apair of intermittent feed rolls, such a loop being formed and used oncefor each cycle of the machine which is many time per minute.

It is essential that this loop, which has been precisely metered by themetering feed rolls, is pulled completely into the machine in order thatthe proper length of Web is thereby delivered for each operation of themachine. In order to do this, there must be no impediment to com pleteand free take up of the loop and nothing should occur which would causethe loop to hestiate while finally being pulled into the machine. Inother words, machine accuracy is dependent on the position of the webbetween the nip point of the metering feed rolls and the dies or otherpart of the machine that is actually performing the operation on theWeb.

Difficulties have been encountered in prior art machines, and inparticular, one has occurred after the loop has formed away from one ofthe metering rolls and while the web is then again being drawn tightlyinto the machine. During this time of loop take up in which the loop issnapped out and the web is again drawn tightly around the last meteringroll, a pocket of air may become trapped between the loop and this lastmetering roll. This prevents complete and immediate take up of the Web,even though of a small dimension, which results in a shorter length ofweb being delivered to the machine than was measured by the meteringrolls.

Accordingly, the present invention provides carton forming mechanismhaving an improved metering roll construction which overcomes the abovedifiiculty and insures complete and immediate delivery of the entirelength of a web loop for each cycle of the machine.

More specifically, the present invention provides a web handling machineof the above type and having a grooved metering feed roll which permitsimmediate and complete escape of any air that would otherwise becometrapped between the web and the roll. Thus a definite and con stantlength of web is fed to the machine for each cycle.

These and other objects and advantages will appear later as thisdisclosure progresses, reference being had to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, in section, of a machine embodyingthe present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1, but on anenlarged scale; and

FIGURE 3 is a view of part of the mechanism as shown in FIGURE 1, butshowing the brake bar in the open position and the intermittent feedrolls closed.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings, the invention will be shownas used in connection with carton blank forming apparatus, with which itfinds great utility. This apparatus includes a cutter-creaser press Phaving a base A web travel.

3,l.74,6? Patented Mar. 23, 1965 ice 1 which supports the upper fixedplaten 2 on the four vertical corner posts 3. A lower platen 4 isvertically reciprocal on these posts by the two pairs of eccentricallydriven connecting rods 5 journalled at their lower ends on cranksha'fts6.

The platens carry the cutting and creasing die 7 and a base plate 8which are removably held in place by brackets 9 in the known manner.

The press has a pair of intermittent feed rolls IF, IFU, the lower rollIF being swingable on its pivoted bracket 19 between a closed, feedingposition with roll lFU and an open, non-feeding position. This swingingof the lower teed roll is effected by the thrust link 11 which isconnected to one end of bracket 10 and is actuated by a cam 12 fixed onthe rotatable camshaft 13. The upper roll IFU is positively driven, aswill appear, while the lower roll is driven through the web. Slippage ofthe web between the intermittent feed rolls may thus occur when the webis suificiently taut.

An intermittently acting brake bar BB is vertically reciprocal throughits thrust link 14 by means of a cam 15 also fixed for rotation withcamshaft 13. Bar BB is vertically shiftable between a web clampingposition as shown in FIGURE 1 wherein it presses the web against thestationary upper brake bar BBU, and a web releasing position away fromthe upper bar. When the Web is clamped by the bar, the intermittent feedroll IF is open, and vice versa.

A pair of metering feed rolls F, PU are provided ahead of theintermittent feed rolls in respect to the direction of Roll F ispositively driven, as will appear, while roll FU receives its drive fromthe web. These metering rolls continuously feed the web at a constantand precise rate so that exactly the proper length of web will be fed tothe machine for each cycle thereof.

The drive for the various parts of the press is furnished from anelectric motor (not shown) which drives one of the crankshafts.Crankshafts 6 are connected together by intermeshing gears 20 and 21fixed thereto; another gear 22 is fixed to one of the crankshafts andthrough an idler gear 23, drives the gear 24 fixed on one end of thecamshaft 13. Thus, the camshaft is driven from the crankshafts. Thecamshaft in turn has another gear 25 on its other end for continuing thepower train to the feed rolls. More specifically, metering feed roll Fhas a gear 26 fixed on the end of its shaft which is driven from gear 25through the compound gears 27, 2S and an idler gear 29. Feed roll F alsohas another gear 30 fixed therewith which drives the gear 31 on feedroll lFU, through the intervening idler gear 32.

The above mentioned rolls and gears are suitably journalled in the sidewalls S and S1 of the press in suitable antifriction bearings, and iffurther reference to this drive mechanism is deemed to be eithernecessary or desirable, reference may be had to my co-pending US.application Serial No. 25 6,020, filed February 4, 1963, entitled, DriveMechanism for Carton Blank Forming Press.

As previously mentioned, the metering feed rolls F, FU act tocontinuously feed the web at an exact rate. During the time the brakebar has clamped and is thus holding the web, the feed rolls F, FU causea web loop L to be formed.

It should be noted here that other types of intermittent feed rolls maybe used with the present invention other than the above type in whichone roll moves toward or away from the other to eiiect web feed orstoppage. For example, intermittent feed rolls of variable speed can beused and in which case when the rolls are stopped they act to stop theWeb and permit loop formation. With this type of variable speedintermittent feed rolls, the need for a brake bar is eliminated.

In any event, a free loop is formed between the metera on ing feed andintermittent feed rolls, and this loop formation occurs many times perminute.

A curved apron 35 is located just past the metering rolls and the loop Lforms just below this apron and between it and the metering eed roll F.When the web loop is taken up by being drawn instantaneously into themachine by the intermittent feed rolls, the web is snapped and drawntightly over the apron. Stated otherwise,'the intermittent feed rollspull the web into the machine much more rapidly than the continuouslyactive metering rolls feed the web. As a result the Web loop is quicklypulled up tightly against the metering roll F;

The position of the metering rolls to one another and then to that partor the press which first contacts the web, is important. With thearrangement shown, where part of the metered web is wrapped around aportion of the last metering feed roll, only a minimum of free length ofthe web is permitted between the roll and the press, and this holdsvibration of the taut web to a minimum.

In so pulling the web loop against and around a portion of the roll F,heretofor some air sometimes is trapped between the web and this roll.This pocket of air may exist only for a relatively short period of time,but nevertheless it has the effect of not permitting the metered lengthof web to be feed into the machine by the intermittent feed rolls. 7

In accordance with the present invention, the feed roll F is soconstructed that any air that would otherwise be trapped as abovementioned, is free to immediately and completely escape, therebypermitting the Web to be drawn tightly around the feed roll F and theproper web length thus inserted in the machine. This roll constructiontakes the form of a series of recesses in the periphery of the tubular,steel roll F. More specifically, to insure that the air can escape fromany peripheral portion of the feed roll and to that peripheral portionnot intended to be wrapped with the web, these recesses take the form ofa series of circumferential grooves 40 formed around the periphery ofthe roll. Furthermore, these grooves are located along susbtantially theentire length of the roll. I The size and spacing of these grooves mayof course vary, but experience has'indicated very good results withgrooves of an inch Wide, Vs of an inch deep, and spaced 1% inches apart.7

With the above feed roll construction, a definite and constant weblength is always provided between the nip point 42 of the metering feedrolls and the dies of the press.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as beingwithin the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out anddistinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as theinvention:

1. Carton blank forming apparatus comprising, a press into which a webis fed, a pair of intermittent feed rolls adjacent said press forintermittently feeding the web thereto, and a pair of continuouslyactive metering feed rolls for continuously feeding the web to saidintermittent feed rolls to thereby form a free loop between said pairsof rolls when said intermittent rolls are not feeding the web, saidintermittent feed rolls being adapted to feed the web at a faster ratethan said metering rolls to thereby draw up said loop and wrap it arounda portion of one of said metering feed rolls, said one metering feedroll having circumferential grooves around its periphery to permit airto escape from between said rolland web when the loop is drawn tautagainst said grooved roll by said intermittent feed rolls.

2. In a carton blank forming press having a pair of intermittent feedrolls for feeding the web thereto, and a pair of metering feed rolls forcontinuously feeding the web to said intermittent feed rolls to therebyform'a free loop between said pairs of rolls and adjacent one of saidcontinuously active feed rolls when said intermittent rolls are notfeeding the web, said intermittent feed rolls being adapted to feed theWeb at a faster rate than said metering rolls to thereby draw up saidloop and wrap it around a portion of one of said metering feed rolls,said one metering feed roll having recesses in its periphery to permitair to escape from between said roll and web when the loop is drawn tautagainst said recessed roll by said intermittent feed rolls.

3. Carton blank forming apparatus comprising, a press into which a webis fed, a pair of intermittent feed rolls adjacent said press forintermittently feeding the web thereto, a pair of continuously activemetering feed rolls for continuously feeding the web to saidintermittent feed rolls to thereby form a free loop below said meteringrolls when said intermittent rolls are not feeding the web, and a curvedapron between said pairs of rolls and having a surface over which saidweb travels and'is guided thereby, one of said metering rolls having itslowermost side below the height of said surface and around which the webis adapted to wrap'as it moves toward said apron, said intermittent feedrolls rotating at a speed to feed the web at a faster rate than saidmetering rolls to thereby draw up said loop and wrap it around saidlowermost side of said one metering feed roll, said one metering feedroll having recesses in its periphery to permit air to escape frombetween said roll and web when the loop is drawn taut against saidrecessed roll by said intermittent feed rolls.

1 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that saidrecesses are circumferential grooves around the periphery of said oneroll and spaced axially along the length thereof.

5. Carton blank forming apparatus comprising, a press into which a webis fed, a pair of intermittent feed rolls adjacent said press forintermittently feeding the web thereto, and means for continuouslyfeeding the web to said intermittent feed rolls to thereby form a freeloop between said pair of intermittent feed rolls and said means whensaid intermittent rolls are not feeding the web, said intermittent feedrolls being adapted to feed the web at a faster rate than saidcontinuously feeding means, said means including a roll having recessesin its periphery to permit air to escape from between said recessed rolland web when the loop is drawn ta-ut against said recessed roll by saidintermittent feed rolls.

6. Carton blank forming apparatus comprising, a press into which a webis fed, a pair of intermittent feed rolls adjacent said press forintermittently feeding the web thereto, and a pair of continuouslyactive metering feed rolls for continuously feeding the: web to saidintermittent feed rolls, said intermittent feedrolls being adapted tofeed the web at a faster rate than said metering rolls to thereby drawup said web and wrap it tightly around a portion'of one ofsaid meteringfeed rolls, said one metering feed'roll having circumferential groovesaround its periphery to permit air to escape from between said roll andweb when the web is drawn taut against said grooved roll by saidintermittent feed rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

6. CARTON BLANK FORMING APPARATUS COMPRISING, A PRESS INTO WHICH A WEBIS FED, A PAIR OF INTEMITTENT FEED ROLLS ADJACENT SAID PRESS FORINTERMITTENTLY FEEDING THE WEB THERETO, AND A PAIRRR OF CONTINUOUSLYACTIVE METERING FEED ROLLS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING THE WEB TO SAIDINTERMITTENT FEED ROLLS, SAID INTERMITTENT FEED ROLLS BEING ADAPTED TOFEED THE WEB AT A FASTER RATE THAN SAID METERING ROLLS TO THEREBY DRAWUP SAID WEB AND WRAP IT TIGHTLY AROUND A PORTION OF ONE OF SAID METERINGFEED ROLLS, SAID ONE METERING FEED ROLL HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVESAROUND IT PERIPHERY TO PERMIT AIR TO ESCAPE FROM BETWEEN SAID ROLL ANDWEB WHEN THE WEB IS DRAWN TAUT AGAINST SAID GROOVED ROLL BY SAIDINTERMITTENT FEED ROLLS.